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Shade companies are finding an active market for cabanas among business owners who want their properties with outdoor pools to stand out, whether that’s resorts, apartment and condo complexes, water parks, or country clubs. The sturdy yet elegant oases offer customizable, elegant privacy for their patrons or residents.
Outdoor oases
Four years ago, Auburn, Maine, company SummerSpace® added cabanas to its shade products. Steady sales since then have confirmed customers’ lasting affinity for outdoor living and entertainment.
Ed Keough, SummerSpace vice president of strategic alliances, says that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the backyard became a focus again for many households. “The cabana and outdoor shade business went through the roof because now everyone wants products to protect them from the sun. That was a pleasant surprise to us,” he says.
Chandry Manzke is co-owner and president of Victory Awning Products based in Fort Worth, Texas. She says her company also experienced a sharp increase in cabana and shade sales during the pandemic, and sales remain steady today. As Texas hub cities of Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, Houston and San Antonio teem with new construction—everything from retail spaces to apartment complexes and water parks—cabanas keep appearing on the list of amenities.
“We do a lot of exterior or exterior-like poolside cabanas and Roman shades for hotels, water parks and multifamily apartment units,” Manzke says.
Victory sees its cabana sales ramp up when area water parks open for the season and decide to add new food courts or shade sections. “Every spring, we do a walk-through of the grounds and see what’s been damaged, what’s faded, what they want to replace … maybe change colors or scheme,” says Manzke. “Sometimes it’s a matter of adding more cabanas to what they already have.”
She says a local country club recently asked to double the number of cabanas on the grounds near the pool because they are so popular with members and the club wants to keep the space as appealing and family-friendly as possible.
In general, every six to seven years is “typically when we replace the top or the curtains from wear and tear—especially for those cabanas in public spaces,” she says.
Resort feel at home
Large companies establishing themselves in Texas hub cities attract young professionals who either relocate for an existing job or find a new one. Many of these young professionals are settling in multifamily apartment complexes, and Manzke says these types of buildings comprise a large share of Victory’s projects. “[Cabanas are] something that’s making them more competitive and giving them the upper hand. It’s obviously important to consumers,” she says.
“In the past, if you lived in an apartment, you might just have the pool there,” Manzke says. “They have lounge chairs and that’s about it. Newer apartment buildings here are going in with a more resort feel that looks and feels more like you’re at an upscale hotel.”
This can benefit those working or relaxing who want to shield their laptops or smartphones from the sun’s glare. “The world has changed in the last several years, and quite a few people are doing their work poolside. So it’s nice to have some shade,” Manzke says.
Streamlined materials and design
Commercial-grade cabanas remain popular with hotels and resorts. The robust frame and heavy-duty canvas withstand high winds and temperature fluctuations. In addition, maintenance is straightforward.
“We build our products so that the average maintenance worker at a hotel can remove the fabric tops” without special tools, says Keough. “They can remove the fabric tops in about 20 minutes per cabana.”
The skeletal powder-coated structure of commercial-grade units can sustain high winds after removal of the canvas. The cabanas also might be partially disassembled and collapsed—for example, in case of a hurricane or tornado. Keough says his company tests its product in Maine, leaving the fabric top on all winter, even during a few feet of snow.
Most cabanas come in standard sizes with a broad range of solid colors and stripes. There typically are few options for custom patterns because of how the fabric is woven and the yarns being solution-dyed to protect against excessive fading.
In design trends, Keough has noticed a shift from stripes to solid colors across all awning and shade products.
A market poised to expand
The general view of the cabana business is that sales will remain solid for the foreseeable future. To boost sales further, businesses should market to new customers and expand their product range.
“One thing that could move that needle is creating awareness and driving demand in places where people might say, ‘Oh, I didn’t think of that,’” says Keough. For example, he says manufacturers might consider going to market in new ways, pairing cabana sales with other trending outdoor items. High-end homeowners are a potential market. As they enhance their backyards with deluxe swings, gas fireplaces, outdoor seating and outdoor kitchens, they also might find a cabana an appealing add-on.
To develop their poolside product lines further, companies can offer a more diverse range of cabanas and similar structures, particularly when it comes to home use. Retractable and mechanical screens are popular add-ons to keep bugs at bay, particularly where food is present.
For example, SummerSpace’s Leisure Room is a fabric-roof cabana that includes windows and doors for even more use throughout the year. Variations can become three-season or all-season rooms with tempered glass and screens. Leisure Rooms can also offer privacy around a backyard hot tub. Another variation is a pergola with a vertical retractable shade screen system. This results in an enclosed, bug-free room that has the open-air feel of a pergola when the user retracts the screens.
Manzke says Victory has done projects with several hotels that requested cabana-like structures without a traditional top. Instead, Roman shades are used for an elegant draping effect. “It’s nice because when you want some sun, you can easily push back the Roman shades,” she says.
Whether someone is poolside at a resort or knocking out a few emails in their backyard, a cabana is the not-quite-inside, not-quite-outside solution for many. The sturdy structures promise the option of privacy while offering a little bit of luxury and a big dose of shaded fresh air.
Sara Scullin is a freelance writer and editor based in Wisconsin.